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VMX-file parameters - pci-slots-assignment

PCI-slots

 



(you can download this little GUI here)

 

 

 

Lets populate the PCI-slots.

A VM has 6 PCI-slots.

The first slot is always used by the VMware-SVGA II.
You can fill the next 5 slots with these devices:

Buslogic-SCSI-controller

LSI-logic-SCSI-controller

AMD-ethernet
VMX-ethernet
e1000-ethernet
Soundcard


To add one of max. 4 Buslogic-SCSI-controllers add this lines:

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

scsi0.virtualDev = "buslogic"             "vmxbuslogic" for ESX for ESX 2.x

 

To add one of max. 4 LSIlogic-SCSI-controllers add this lines:

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"             "vmxlsilogic" for ESX for ESX 2.x

 

To add one of max. 4 AMD-ethernet-cards add this lines:

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "vlance"
            

 

To add one of max. 4 VMXnet-ethernet-cards add this lines:

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "vmxnet"
       

     

To add one of max. 4 e1000-ethernet-cards add this lines:

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev =
"e1000"            

 

To add a soundcard - either a Soundblaster or a ES1371 - add this lines:

sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.virtualDev= "sb16"

or

sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.virtualDev= "es1371"



What happens if I add more than 5 PCI-devices?
In case you order
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi1.present = "TRUE"
scsi2.present = "TRUE"
scsi3.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet3.present = "TRUE"
sound.present = "TRUE"


you will get

scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi1.present = "TRUE"
scsi2.present = "TRUE"
scsi3.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"


The free 5 PCI-slots are assigned following this priority-list:

1. Buslogic-SCSI-controller

2. LSI-logic-SCSI-controller

3. AMD-ethernet
4. VMX-ethernet
5. e1000-ethernet
6. Soundcard


In case you don't get the results you expect, please keep in mind that sometimes VMware uses silent-defaults.
If you order
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet3.present = "TRUE"
sound.present = "TRUE"

you will get

scsi0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet3.present = "TRUE"


The reason for this strange behaviour is simple: VMware assumes

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

for every VM. If you want no SCSI-controller you have to specify

scsi0.present = "FALSE"



What happens if I add a SCSI-controller ?



Above you see the PCI-slots of a VM. On the left we have a VM with 4 Nics ....
let's add a SCSI-controller just to find out what happens.

The SCSI-controller exchanges slots with the first nic - every nic moves one slot.

For a Windows-guest the scenario described results in up to 4 phantom-nics.

 

That can be cured easily - but keep this behaviour in mind when debugging some strange occurances.



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